


Convergence

by Yrindor



Category: Original Work
Genre: Gen, Magic, Prosthetic Limbs, Science, Technology
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-03-27
Updated: 2020-03-27
Packaged: 2021-03-01 04:15:40
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,963
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23345335
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Yrindor/pseuds/Yrindor
Summary: At first glance, prosthetic limbs fall clearly into the realm of technology, but in a world where technology and magic are viewed as two complementary forces, what else becomes possible?
Comments: 8
Kudos: 9
Collections: Worldbuilding Exchange 2020





	Convergence

**Author's Note:**

  * For [tentacledicks](https://archiveofourown.org/users/tentacledicks/gifts).



The building towered over Emi, a massive edifice of steel and glass that did nothing to set her at ease. "Advanced Institute for Prosthetics" read the sign over the door. She barely had a chance to glance at it before the doors slid open ushering her inside.

"Welcome to the Institute," chirped a half dozen receptionists seated at a semicircular desk that took up most of the lobby. One waved her over.

"How can we be of service to you today?" he asked.

"I have an appointment with the Prosthetic Limbs department," she said, suddenly feeling self-conscious about her crutches.

"That would be the leg division I presume?"

"I didn't realize there were divisions." The words slipped out of Emi's mouth before she could stop them, and she felt herself flush.

"Of course. You'll be wanting the fifteenth floor for legs, knees, and feet. Sixteenth floor is for hands and arms, and fourteenth is for tails and other appendages. You can use any of the elevators on your left. The cafeteria and lounge area is on the fifth floor and is open to use by all patrons."

"Thank you," Emi whispered.

The elevators were as responsive as the front doors, coming at the touch of a button and moving smoothly without a single jolt or shudder. She hadn't even made it to her appointment yet, and she was already awestruck. The entire building was a far cry from her apartment with its creaky stairs and elevator that was broken more often than not. At the same time, she would never want to live here. For all of its faults, her building was homey and well-loved; the sharp-edged metal and glass of new construction just couldn't compare to a building that had been lived in for a century.

The doors slid open on the fifteenth floor, and she stepped out into a lobby that may as well have been a clone of the one on the first floor.

"Welcome to the Legs, Knees, and Feet Division of the Advanced Institute for Prosthetics," the receptionist said with a smile that threatened to blind Emi. "How can I help you?"

"I'm here for a consultation."

"First time?"

"Yes."

"Well there's nothing to be afraid of. Could I have your name please?"

"Emi Kurokawa."

The receptionist turned away to type into the computer. "I see you already filled out the intake forms electronically. We do appreciate that; it makes the entire process run more smoothly. Go ahead and make yourself comfortable in the waiting area, and someone will be with you momentarily. If you need a restroom, they're just down the hall to your left. If you need anything else, don't hesitate to let myself or any other staff member know. We strive to make your visit as pleasant as possible."

Emi nodded before leaving the desk for one of the many chairs and stools arranged around the room. Unlike every waiting room she had been in before, no two chairs in this space were the same. She appreciated the touch; in her opinion, there was little worse than sitting in an uncomfortable chair for hours while waiting for an appointment.

She didn't even have a chance to sit before she heard her name called from behind her. She turned around to where someone was standing holding a clipboard. In any other doctor's office, she would have assumed the tall man was a nurse, but she was out of her depth here, and he wore the lab coat she more frequently associated with researchers.

“Pleased to meet you, Emi,” he said as he offered a hand. “My name is John Iheme, and I’ll be your main contact person and guide, at least for your initial orientation and selection process. You may be passed on to one of our other specialists later depending on the decisions you make, but that’s for another time. For now, let’s bring you into the back and talk about options. How much do you already know about prosthetics?”

“Not much,” Emi admitted. “I’m not really a science type, and I never thought I’d need one.”

“You’re not alone,” John said. “You’d be surprised how many people come in saying the same thing. That’s what I’m here for. Technically, I’m part of the Magical Services division, but I started out over in Technological Services, and as you’ll see, they aren’t as different as you might expect.”

Emi followed John down the hall, not to the medical exam room she had been expecting, but to a small conference room, complete with a projector and screen at the front of the room.

“We’ve heard people find it helpful to have diagrams to reference, especially if this is all entirely new information. We know it can be overwhelming, so you'll be given a copy of the slides afterwards. All of our contact information is also included. Did you have a chance to watch the orientation video?”

“Yes, but I don’t think I understood most of it,” Emi said. “I always thought of science and magic as two different things.”

"That's a perfectly understandably misconception. For many centuries, we did believe that they were different, and frequently mutually exclusive phenomena. Over the past few decades, we've begun to understand that they are in fact better conceived of as two sides to the same coin. What I'll cover today before the rest of the team arrives are the basic differences between them as applied to this field, and what that means for you when considering your options. Before that, do you have any idea of what sort of prosthetic you'd like to see yourself in?"

Emi shook her head. "I'm still trying to wrap my head around the idea of needing one at all."

John nodded sympathetically. "In that case, we'll start at the broadest level. If anything I show feels especially fitting, or displeasing, let me know and we can narrow in from there. I'll start with the magical side, since we've found people often have an easier time wrapping their heads around it. There are two main branches within this that will be of interest to you," he said as he pulled up the first slide. "One is magical healing. You may have already heard something about this from the surgeons and your team at the hospital, but magical techniques applied during and immediately after surgery can decrease the initial recovery time dramatically, even more than most cutting-edge science can. It shifts the timescale from speaking in terms of days or weeks to hours.

"Of course, every method has its downsides, in the case of magical healing, most of its risks result from the very timescale that makes it favorable. Since the timescale is so compressed, the joints and surrounding muscles are relatively immobile during the process, which increases the risk of tightness and development of scar tissue that impedes range of motion. Additionally, since the body is being rapidly pulled through the entire healing process, there is a temporary but significant increased caloric load. Patients often require supplemental nutrition during the period of treatment, and it is important the patient be in a physical condition that can accommodate the stress. We have dietitians on staff who will work with you throughout the process.

"The second major facet of the magical side comes after the initial healing when considering prosthetics. Using magic similar to a glamour, it's possible to create a prosthetic that looks nearly indistinguishable from your old limb. You could, of course, hypothetically create a glamour to take on whatever appearance you desire; however, the glamour is more durable and less likely to fall into uncanny valley territory when used on top of a prosthetic that bears at least some resemblance to the illusory limb being created. The risks of such a device are minimal for most patients; however, for patients experiencing phantom limb symptoms, such a glamour can increase symptoms. It's a very individual experience though, as some patients have also reported a decrease in symptoms after being fitted for the device. Finally, and this is an exceedingly rare risk, magical techniques of any sort involve introducing foreign forms of energy flow into the body. In some individuals, though again less than one in a hundred thousand, said energy is not well tolerated and they exhibit signs of allergic reactions. Before I move on to the scientific side of things, do you have any questions on what we've covered so far?"

"I don't think so," Emi said, though she was certain she would later. She had already filled multiple pages of her notebook with hastily scribbled notes and possibilities to consider more later.

"Great! In that case, we'll move on to the second half of the presentation." John flipped the slide deck forward to another flow chart that looked remarkably like the first. "I already mentioned it during the first half of this presentation, but the first point I'll mention here is that the procedures and technology you likely most think about in association with hospitals and surgery are still an option in your case. If you do elect that route, we have a full team of physical therapists and orthopedic specialists who will help you through your recovery. The initial healing process after these procedures is longer than in the magical route, but at the end of the process, you will likely have greater range of motion and greater muscle strength than you would otherwise, which can make the adjustment process to a prosthetic smoother, especially if you select a more complicated device.

"That brings us to our second aspect of the technological route. While the magical prosthetics frequently serve to come as close to possible in approximating the limb that has been lost, technological prosthetics have begun developing to push the limits of what a limb _could_ be. This is the area where you will find limbs that allow for greater speed, strength, or flexibility than would ever be possible with the unaided human body. Many of these prosthetics bear little or no resemblance to a normal, biological limb, and most of them have a steep learning curve. The vast majority of patients do adapt within a few months of being fitted with their new limb, but it does require learning an entirely new way of moving. You would, of course, have access to a full team of specialists to help you through that process."

"I don't think I'm looking for anything quite that fancy," Emi said. "I think I'm looking for something simple and not too complicated."

"Of course. Any number of patients choose a more classic approach, and we have a team specializing in that area. If that's the direction you see yourself going at this point, I'll make we have their representative in the next meeting. Do you have any other questions or thoughts on what we've covered so far?"

"Is it possible to see examples?" Emi asked. "I'm leaning away from adding magic right now, but I'd like to see what the different options look like in practice."

"Of course. You'll have a chance to see examples from the different units during the second part of this consultation. I'll show you back to the waiting area while I gather the rest of the team. You'll have about half an hour if you want to go down to the lounge area. I'll also give you a copy of these slides if you want to look through them again and make additional notes. We're happy to answer any questions you think of once we reconvene."

"Thank you," Emi said as she gathered her notes. "You've been very helpful." She was looking forward to the half hour break. Maybe her head would be spinning less by the time she came back.


End file.
